One of the many things I love about the Lord is that no matter how bad things look, there is always hope of restoration. Isaiah was a prophet to the southern nation of Judah. Israel, the northern kingdom is in serious decline and is eventually destroyed by the Assyrian Empire. Judah lasts longer but is also in decline spiritually. Isaiah lived during the reigns of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. His ministry began in about 740 B.C., the year Uzziah died, and perhaps continued some 40 to 50 years, through and beyond the reign of Hezekiah. Isaiah helped to prevent Judah’s captivity and exile by Assyria when the Assyrian king Sennacherib invaded the land during Hezekiah’s reign (2Kings 17-20, 2Chronicles 26-32, Isaiah 36-39). However, Isaiah’s ministry began 47 years earlier in the last year of king Uzziah, Hezekiah's great grandfather (Isaiah 6:1,8). Isaiah’s work spanned the reigns of four kings in Judah (Isaiah 1:1). Isaiah probably lived to the exile of the Southern kingdom and into the reign of Manasseh (Hezekiah’s son). The time and manner of Isaiah’s death are not specified but Jewish tradition says that he suffered martyrdom by being sawn in two under the orders of Manasseh (Hebrews 11:37).
Isaiah was used of the Lord to bring specific prophecies concerning the Messiah. He is used by Jehovah to bring hope in desperate times. I love his prophecy in Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
The Lord is never bound by the past mistakes or traditions, He promises to do a new thing; even in the desert where nothing grows or has little chance to survive. Everything is possible with the Lord. What an encouragement that is to us all. Are you in a dry place, a wilderness? Don’t despair! God is about to make your desert bloom and rivers spring forth.
In my years of following the Lord, I have both discovered in my studies and in my experiences that the Lord often times waits until times of desperation or even despair before he moves on our behalf. I love the story in 2 Kings 4:1-7 (ESV)
“Now the wife of one of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord, but the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 And Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few. 4 Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels. And when one is full, set it aside.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons. And as she poured, they brought the vessels to her. 6 When the vessels were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She came and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”
This woman’s husband had been one of the followers of Elisha and for some reason had passed away. She was desperate in that her husband’s creditors were coming to take her sons. It was 11:59:59 and God moved on her behalf with recourses she already had. God shares His glory with no man, period; Isaiah 42:8 (ESV)
“I am the Lord; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”
I also love the verse in 2 Timothy 2:13 (ESV)
“if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”
God is benevolent and always responds to the needs of His children but always in His timing according to His timing and plans. He is a good God always!
So, what does one do with prophetic words? Do you focus on the prophecies or the Lord. Do you seek the fulfillments of the words or are the words simply a signpost of what the Lord is going to do as you seek the Lord. Afterall, He rewards those who seek Him; Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”